Question:
Greg,
I
have a friend who argues that Gilgamesh parallels every law and stipulation
contained in the Old Testament. Apparently
the oldest copy of Gilgamesh dates to around 669-633 BC, but some believe it is
as old as 2700 BC. Moses is thought
to have written Genesis around 1500 BC. I
was wondering what is the oldest copy of the Old Testament and how to respond to
my friend?
Donna
Answer: Dear Donna,
The
issue you raise concerns a theological and biblical version of the chicken or
the egg conundrum. Those who claim
that something stated in the Bible as a law, custom, or even worship pattern is
entirely original, without any precedent in secular history, are holding the
Bible to a standard it does not claim. There
are many examples in the Bible that cultures existing at the same time or before
a historical epoch the Bible reports anticipated the use, teaching or
illustration reported in the Bible. Such
a thing proves nothing other than to say that someone is assuming the Bible
makes assertions it does not.
In
Christ,